C. F. Martin 000-18 Shade Top Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1935)
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Item #10805
C. F. Martin 000-18 Shade Top Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1935), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 61017, sunburst top, natural back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top; ebony fingerboard and bridge, brown tolex hard shell case.
This guitar is one of the true delights of Martin history: a 000-18 from 1935 in the very rare "shade top" (otherwise known as sunburst) top finish. A "shaded", or "dark" top option was cataloger for Martin buyers beginning in the early 1930's. Originally, this was a subtle amber tone darkening around the edges of the top. By 1935, when this guitar was made, the edge shading was nearly black. 1935 is the first year for this darker top, no doubt inspired by Martin dealers and customers looking at Gibsons!
The 1930s 000-18 in general is one of the most iconic of all Martin guitars. Along with its rosewood sibling the 000-28 it represents the first full flowering of the "Modern" American steel-string flat top. The combination of a 14-fret a short scale neck with a "T" bar truss rod on a 000 sized body created a new paradigm of construction that has been revered ever since. This 000-18 has the early 1930s "advanced" scalloped X-bracing on the top that is the hallmark of the original 1930's models.
This 14-fret 000-sized design was introduced as a deluxe rosewood model, the OM-28 in late 1929. The more popularly priced mahogany OM-18 was launched in early 1930 and proved an immediate success, though the growing depression stifled sales of all instruments. The design was so well received that after 1933 nearly all Martin guitars would be built to this new "Orchestra Model" format. The OM-18 designation was dropped and this 14-fret model simply called the 000-18, one of the company's mainstays ever since. Martin made an important change soon after by slightly shortening the scale length, and both the original OM's and these 1933-38 000 examples are some of the most desirable of all mahogany Martins.
In one of those great fretted ironies these models were described in Martin's catalog as "designed for plectrum playing in orchestra work". They have become renowned since as the greatest fingerstyle guitars ever built. Archtops ended up ruling the "orchestra" roost, but 000's quickly became popular with cowboy, recording and radio entertainers requiring a powerful but well-defined flat top sound. Since the early 1930's the 000-18 and 000-28 have been justly celebrated as one of Martin's crowning achievements, and among the greatest flat tops ever created.
This guitar was built in later 1935, with features specific to that time. The original tuners are first-generation Grovers G-98 single openback units with riveted gears and "butterbean" buttons. Earlier OM's had banjo pegs that proved a major disappointment in use; the single-unit guitar tuners were a big improvement, both lighter and more accurate. This guitar has T-frets, a recent Martin innovation but also the earliest decal gold "C.F. Martin" headstock logo.
This 000-18's light mahogany construction coupled with the shorter scale neck make for a powerful sounding, transparent but warm and superbly responsive guitar. The 15" wide narrow-waisted body with a light, scallop-braced top contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. Martin produced only 176 000-18's in 1935 priced at $55 (plus case), comparatively few of them in this finish. This was a lot of money in 1931-5, the Depression's hardest years! This very rare 000-18 is well-worn but remains a superb instrument, with a sound that rings for days.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar has been well used over the decades showing typical wear and repair but remains a wonderful-playing and spectacular-sounding instrument, a real testament to the enduring quality of these genuine "Golden Age" Martins. The finish has checking, dings, dents and scrapes overall with a few scratches through the finish and into the wood. This is most notable on the treble side lower bout near the end block, with belt buckle rash in the center of the back and another area of wear at the edge of the treble lower bout on the back.
There is picking wear into the top wood in several spots; above and below the fingerboard extension, around the pickguard, around the soundhole rim, in between the soundhole and the bridge under the strings and at the edge of the bass side lower bout where the player's arm would rest. The deepest spots are off the treble fingerboard extension to the top edge of the pickguard and in between the treble wing of the bridge and the bottom of the pickguard. There is a small area around the bottom edge of the bridge has been lightly touched up with shellac to seal the wood. There is some finish worn down on the celluloid pickguard.
The back of the neck is worn down to the clear coat into the wood in the first position, mostly at the edges, but has very little in the way of dings and dents into the mahogany, with none of the heavy capo wear often encountered. There is a feelable worn spot into the center ridge of the back of the neck, opposite the second fret.
There are two repaired top cracks, a sealed grain split off the forward edge of the pickguard between it and the binding and another tightly sealed grain split that extends from the back edge of the bridge to above the bass side of the end block. The back and sides are crack free.
The original T-frets are in surprisingly good condition. They are somewhat lower than they would have been originally, but they have had a recent grind and polish and they are playing extremely well. There are some divots in the Rosewood fingerboard in the lower positions. The original nut is still intact. The Grover metal button tuners are original and undisturbed, the gold decal "C.F. Martin" headstock logo still shines brightly.
The neck has been cleanly re-set. The bridge is a replacement made to the correct contours and footprint of the original, with only a small bit of light touch up around the base of the bridge and a more sharply angled saddle to show that the work was done. The saddle bone saddle is newer. The interior of the guitar is clean including the original small maple bridge plate. The elegant scalloping on the bracework is simply beautiful to behold and demonstrates once again the incredibly high standards Martin's craftsmen maintained in this era; even in this financially difficult period for the company. At the time this 000-18 was a distinctly modern guitar design, but still built with the exemplary craftsmanship that Martin's 19th century traditions engendered.
This instrument is both a fabulous piece of history and an exceptionally fine player's instrument nearly 90 years on, an enchanting experience to play or even just to hear. Overall Very Good + Condition.
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This guitar is one of the true delights of Martin history: a 000-18 from 1935 in the very rare "shade top" (otherwise known as sunburst) top finish. A "shaded", or "dark" top option was cataloger for Martin buyers beginning in the early 1930's. Originally, this was a subtle amber tone darkening around the edges of the top. By 1935, when this guitar was made, the edge shading was nearly black. 1935 is the first year for this darker top, no doubt inspired by Martin dealers and customers looking at Gibsons!
The 1930s 000-18 in general is one of the most iconic of all Martin guitars. Along with its rosewood sibling the 000-28 it represents the first full flowering of the "Modern" American steel-string flat top. The combination of a 14-fret a short scale neck with a "T" bar truss rod on a 000 sized body created a new paradigm of construction that has been revered ever since. This 000-18 has the early 1930s "advanced" scalloped X-bracing on the top that is the hallmark of the original 1930's models.
This 14-fret 000-sized design was introduced as a deluxe rosewood model, the OM-28 in late 1929. The more popularly priced mahogany OM-18 was launched in early 1930 and proved an immediate success, though the growing depression stifled sales of all instruments. The design was so well received that after 1933 nearly all Martin guitars would be built to this new "Orchestra Model" format. The OM-18 designation was dropped and this 14-fret model simply called the 000-18, one of the company's mainstays ever since. Martin made an important change soon after by slightly shortening the scale length, and both the original OM's and these 1933-38 000 examples are some of the most desirable of all mahogany Martins.
In one of those great fretted ironies these models were described in Martin's catalog as "designed for plectrum playing in orchestra work". They have become renowned since as the greatest fingerstyle guitars ever built. Archtops ended up ruling the "orchestra" roost, but 000's quickly became popular with cowboy, recording and radio entertainers requiring a powerful but well-defined flat top sound. Since the early 1930's the 000-18 and 000-28 have been justly celebrated as one of Martin's crowning achievements, and among the greatest flat tops ever created.
This guitar was built in later 1935, with features specific to that time. The original tuners are first-generation Grovers G-98 single openback units with riveted gears and "butterbean" buttons. Earlier OM's had banjo pegs that proved a major disappointment in use; the single-unit guitar tuners were a big improvement, both lighter and more accurate. This guitar has T-frets, a recent Martin innovation but also the earliest decal gold "C.F. Martin" headstock logo.
This 000-18's light mahogany construction coupled with the shorter scale neck make for a powerful sounding, transparent but warm and superbly responsive guitar. The 15" wide narrow-waisted body with a light, scallop-braced top contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. Martin produced only 176 000-18's in 1935 priced at $55 (plus case), comparatively few of them in this finish. This was a lot of money in 1931-5, the Depression's hardest years! This very rare 000-18 is well-worn but remains a superb instrument, with a sound that rings for days.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar has been well used over the decades showing typical wear and repair but remains a wonderful-playing and spectacular-sounding instrument, a real testament to the enduring quality of these genuine "Golden Age" Martins. The finish has checking, dings, dents and scrapes overall with a few scratches through the finish and into the wood. This is most notable on the treble side lower bout near the end block, with belt buckle rash in the center of the back and another area of wear at the edge of the treble lower bout on the back.
There is picking wear into the top wood in several spots; above and below the fingerboard extension, around the pickguard, around the soundhole rim, in between the soundhole and the bridge under the strings and at the edge of the bass side lower bout where the player's arm would rest. The deepest spots are off the treble fingerboard extension to the top edge of the pickguard and in between the treble wing of the bridge and the bottom of the pickguard. There is a small area around the bottom edge of the bridge has been lightly touched up with shellac to seal the wood. There is some finish worn down on the celluloid pickguard.
The back of the neck is worn down to the clear coat into the wood in the first position, mostly at the edges, but has very little in the way of dings and dents into the mahogany, with none of the heavy capo wear often encountered. There is a feelable worn spot into the center ridge of the back of the neck, opposite the second fret.
There are two repaired top cracks, a sealed grain split off the forward edge of the pickguard between it and the binding and another tightly sealed grain split that extends from the back edge of the bridge to above the bass side of the end block. The back and sides are crack free.
The original T-frets are in surprisingly good condition. They are somewhat lower than they would have been originally, but they have had a recent grind and polish and they are playing extremely well. There are some divots in the Rosewood fingerboard in the lower positions. The original nut is still intact. The Grover metal button tuners are original and undisturbed, the gold decal "C.F. Martin" headstock logo still shines brightly.
The neck has been cleanly re-set. The bridge is a replacement made to the correct contours and footprint of the original, with only a small bit of light touch up around the base of the bridge and a more sharply angled saddle to show that the work was done. The saddle bone saddle is newer. The interior of the guitar is clean including the original small maple bridge plate. The elegant scalloping on the bracework is simply beautiful to behold and demonstrates once again the incredibly high standards Martin's craftsmen maintained in this era; even in this financially difficult period for the company. At the time this 000-18 was a distinctly modern guitar design, but still built with the exemplary craftsmanship that Martin's 19th century traditions engendered.
This instrument is both a fabulous piece of history and an exceptionally fine player's instrument nearly 90 years on, an enchanting experience to play or even just to hear. Overall Very Good + Condition.
